It always go down to the same issue: farmers. It's being almost a millenia since someone saw a wolf in the UK, and by that people already forgot how to deal with them. Just look how some fields with sheep, cattle and pigs are barelly fenced, and no shepherd is seeing around to protect them during day time, not even their dogs. I think one important key for the project is teaching farmers how to protect their herds from wolves.
I think there's more to be done to protect sheep. Some aspects like guardian dogs might not work, but sheep can be focused to specific areas a little bit better. Studies found in europe that predation of sheep happened when they grazed directly adjacent to woodland.
I don’t know about England, but Scotland is currently in the uk. We had wolves into the 18th century. There are reports from even later. And our environment needs them back.
Wolves just returned to the Netherlands.....,.not a big success for everybody 😐 I like them.....they are magnificent animals. But i can imagine this will go sideways in a hurry
They were hunted down to extinction for a reason-; they are dangerous predators. why on earth would you want to put a dangerous animal back into the countryside?
As someone who has lived most of my life in areas with wolves, a lot of the uncertainty (to me) seems unwarranted. We don’t see them too often, but we hear their calls and see their traces. We coexist and don’t often come into conflict. With farmers, I understand their qualms but if they are heard and given the resources to adapt, then I think the UK would be ready.
Well you must be walking around with your eyes and ears covered if you actually believe that uncertainty in regards to wolves is "unwarranted", as you put it. "Wolves would rather kill deer than sheep.", is the worn out mantra of the rewilding fanatic and it's un utter lie. Let's see what the facts actually show us: 1] Wolf attack kills more than 40 sheep in Germany - APNews website 2] The number of wolf attacks on livestock in Germany is growing - DW Made for Minds website 3] Two wolves kill 176 sheep in Idaho Falls - OutdoorLife website 4] Montana wolves kill 120 sheep - backpacker website 5] French farmers demand action against wolves killing livestock - Guardian newspaper When lambing season approaches and the wolves attack a flock of pregnant sheep, even the ones who manage to escape the carnage abort the lamb fetus a few days later. Farmers say it's a horrific sight, their fields literally covered in aborted lambs. They obviuosly receive no compensation for this either. Putting vicious, highly intelligent, pack-hunting apex predators into our British farming communities, what could possibly go wrong?
@@wolfenstein6676 Fair enough, unwarranted is too dismissive of a word. I also realize that where I live we have much more space for wolves. But I do standby my opinion that wolves don’t pose nearly as much as a threat as some believe.
A Scottish biologist once told me he invited a Lithianian wold expert to a conference and after picking him up at the airport and driving 4h do the conference near a national park they asked him if he thought the national park would be suitable for the wolf. He reckoned the full landscape since the moment he landed was perfectly suitable for the wolf already ;) not saying the time is near but it is more political at this stage than it is practical.
Yeah I understand, wolves bears and Lynx would do just fine in our landscapes, but I think for their benefit they’d do better having core areas with everything they need
There is a small island in Lake Superior (like 9 miles long) near the Canadian border it is Isle Royale. It is home to a group of Moose and gray wolves. The wolves made their way to the island many decades ago when Lake Superior would freeze over. The wolves kept the moose population in check. But over decades the wolf population dwindled and the moose population grew out of control. The US forestry service conducted 15 years of research and finally brought more wolves 🐺 to jumpstart the population. Like a miracle the wolves are putting the eco balance back into harmony. Lesson learned, the government moves at a snail pace.
As you said Rob, we need to see some progress before this could become a reality. Also to note that Alladale is well ahead of its time in its ambition and it can attack labels such as "crazy" without much merit. We work a lot in Alladale and we find them to be excellent partners :)
You must know we already do have true big cats (leopards) in the UK. It's not a question of releasing them (or lynx). They are already here. Already breeding.@@LeaveCurious
I think, especially because of the thousands of years of tales and legends about conflict between wolves and humans, I could imagine this must be a very difficult subject to deal with. Trying to convince people "the big bad wolf" isn't going to eat them I mean.
Britain was the Mother of the Industrial Revolution and it led the way into the modern world. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the people of that land took the lead in restoring the damage done to that great and ancient land. I don't think it can be done by edict or legislatively. Its a matter of the heart.
They did it in yellow stone park, I do realise that is a huge park but it does show how bringing back the wolf made such a massive change for the better to the park that the scientist were shocked
The discussion about introducing wolves here in the Netherlands has never been very big, our nature reserves were too small and the Netherlands too densely populated for wolves to survive here.... Until, they came, first there were some rumours, than a reel sighting of a reel wolf crossing a village in plain daylight, then more confirmed sightings, the first wolves born on Dutch soil..Last summer I heard there were three packs in the Netherlands which had young.. They do kill sheep though, and I think farmers have to adapt to the presence of wolves over here, like having anti-wolf dogs and keeping sheep inside or protected for the night, but I think all in all the wolf has successfully reintroduced itself in western Europe, and people are starting to get used to it. I think wolves need far less wilderness than you think, as long as it is there, they are very mobile, and can travel vast distances between hunting ground. Roe deer are an important prey for them and contrary to other deer they roam freely in agricultural landscapes, and in the Netherlands they're everywhere. I think if wolves can live in the Netherlands one would think that Scotland has plenty of room for wolves. But on the long term? I think if the Netherlands were an island inbreeding might be a factor, but wolves can come from eastern Germany live here or go to france, when young they travel hundreds of miles so we get fresh genes from the entire continent. But if you introduce wolves succesfully in Scotland chances are that you will see them all over Great Britain, a wolf in puberty in search of a place for himself might end up in Wales, because that is how they came here.
There are wolves all over mainland Greece and the countryside is still full of herds of sheep and goats and nobody has been killed by a wolf in the 23 years that I've been alive
The wolves know to not mess with humans and humanly stuff and since Britain is overpopulated by deer I think wolves could be released anywhere with no problems surfacing
In Greece, there were lions until 200 BC. I wish for lions to return to Greece and especially to my home country of Iraq, where they lived until the 19th century. I also wish for the return of tigers. We humans have big dogs, firearms, and large population, so I don't see the danger in these animals.
I'm an enthusiast when it comes to wolves (and lynx).But I hope not, because as I can experience here, where I live (Austria) that the local population doesn't want such predators where they live. For once farmers fear for their live stock (mostly because it's money for them) and secondly the population fears the wolf like we would live hundreds of years ago. And neither politicians, nor media, nor hunting associations educate people in the right manner. They mostly stoke fears instead of educating them about the predators. And local governments adopt their own decrees for making it easier to kill predators not caring about European laws. 😟 So, as long as those predators re-appear my nature it wouldn't be too good to re-introduce them (neighboring countries have re-introduced bears and lynxes). Most people have unlearned to live WITH predators. ☹
The problem is that we've been told all our lives about the "big bad wolf" in stories, films. Werewolf stories don't help. Media definitely has an impact on people. If we can overcome the mental barriers and stigmas around wolves first, then we could tackle the rewilding. I hope to see them in the UK in my lifetime, and I'm 30 now. Besides, we need to start leaning away from meat production anyway. So grazing livestock will be far less of a problem in future years.
yeah i believe the number of grazing animals on the uplands is gradually declining, along with that hopefully we can see some land recovery to create better corridors between core areas. But it's all a progressive, quite long process, especially when people stand in the way. ultimately, its a chance for land owners to innovate & get a real jump toward a greener economy which we ultimately must shift toward
Wolves are quietly walking all across Europe. There was one seen recently in Ile-de-France, which is the region surrrounding Paris. South of me in the Monts D'Arrée there have been sightings - yes this is an area of low population, but it's about as far from the established wolf populations (Alps/Pyrenees/Eastern Europe as you can get in France). It may be too early for the UK, but these are animals capable of extreme discretion.
@@LeaveCurious I'm pretty sure that the farmers/herders where wolves live are concerned. But I think the actual damage done to livestock is fairly minimal and compensated for. I certainly haven't read/heard any stories locally of wolves predating pets/livestock. I seem to remember a story about wolf guarding dogs in Romania - but whether it was a happy resurgence of that old partnership, or lament that there was not enough support for the dogs escapes me.
I love the idea of rewilding the UK, but there are some fundamental issues - most notably in my mind that 1, Farmers and toff land owners like being the apex predator and 2, as a population we are soft. In the US, wolves are commonplace - as are bears, but so are pepper spray, defensive firearms and the general understanding that there are some times / places that 911, or 999 as it is here, just aren't going to be able to help. If the reintroduction of apex predators is to succeed, we as a group of people need to be better educated to interact with nature instead of the very British approach we have currently.
@@LeaveCurious absolutely agree. I don’t for a second think more guns is the answer to anything (speaking as a formerly regular shooter). They’d be counter intuitive to any rewilding program anyway - work to put wolves in and they get shot? Nope! I just meant that in the UK where you go backpacking with a Swiss Army knife and that’s it, we might be a little unprepared for encounters with actual predators!
Scotland has the prey base in various areas. The native cover problem needs to be fixed (tree planting). The mountain to climb is the salmon-bear relationship.
When it comes to bears, I think the main stumbling block will be their large and varied appetite. Bears are drawn by food, they can smell it for miles, will travel for miles - and they are really quite determined to get into a tent or car or property once they scent it. They've even learned to run towards the sound of distant hunters shooting in America, because they've come to link the sound of the gunshot with a deer carcass for the taking. Since Britons are discouraged from owning guns as much as possible, it's going to be extremely difficult for people in rural areas to defend themselves against the sudden appearance of a bear. I can't see UK style back doors, garden fences, or even farm fences (such as they are) being much of a defence against bears. (Farm fences now are barely adequate to keep cows in a field). Their presence will terrify people, and stop them enjoying the countryside with their children as they should (since keeping the countryside a safe and enjoyable place for all helps encourage more people to 'look after it' and not use it as a dumping ground.
@@debbiehenri345 in Scotland there are multi-species seasonal runs, that if nurtured, could really be a benefit to bears and humans. Of course the problem with this is, we, as a species, are just getting our hands around water quality and temperature, grade and composition of both stream and gravel make-up for spawning areas. Get your excavator, dozer, and dump trucks out; what is money for anyway? As for bear management, Banff National Park seems to be making strides and I personally want to give that 12-gauge cracker-shot a whirl. I only get approached during the spring from foaling season to the passing of the Elk into upper altitudes.
I think the lynx has to reintroduced first. Once people see the success of that then the wolf could follow. The landscape is probably ready for them both now but the humans aren’t.
A camera shot from the backside of Mt. Edgecombe, my God Rob you are ambitious. Even with the old clearcuts becoming overgrown, this island is more bear country than wolf country. Your Elk populations are there but fragmented; and it comes across to me that the British Isles means business when it comes to Bison breeding programs. Get your forestry quotient rolling in both North and South units, a predator control program with stock-loss compensation in place. In my never-to-be humble estimation, Scotland could be home to a rare European jewel in several decades, without having to reforest with species that are endemic to the Sitka area.
I would love both of these to return to the UK before I die! It’s so sad that our wildlife is depleted, just imagine how much more beautiful this place could be!
In the uk the gene pool for lynx and wolf could not be replenished , also the Uk is a signatory to legislation that unless the country has a land border from where populations of animals can freely cross borders to naturally stop inbreeding and keep populations healthy, so the Uk Government would actually be in breach of said legislation so therefore it cannot happen🤷♂️
I think they should be released into wild life reserves first, then when there’s enough habitat for the wolf, they should be released into the true wilderness
I think mabye there are wolves still but they’re just very elusive and sneaky that people haven’t seen them but occasionally catch a glimpse of one like Tasmanian tiger
The Rewilding of the wolf to the UK, seems to be going well. No reports of attacks on humans or livestock so far, but the wild deer population may be taking abit of a hit in the areas the wolves frequent. The Lynx on the other hand prefers sheep and lambs, and is becoming abit of a nuisance to farmers. Glad they are back though, they belong here, and are an important part of our ecosystem.
You should watch the documentary about the reintroduction of wolves back to Yellowstone national park. I think it’s called how wolves changed the rivers. It’s amazing and we need apex predators so badly. We have got beavers back now which is great but we need all animals back.
Starting with "I think that wolf reintroduction right now is a really bad idea I mean are you mad?" is not exactly a slam-dunk argument to make right out of the gate. Convince me first before you ask me if I'm "mad" for entertaining the idea.
I would love to see greater rewilding but I can't see the wolf being reintroduced in the foreseeable future. I belive we should table that and work only on the lynx which will be more possible but still a massive uphill battle.
sorry, concern about the animal welfare of predator prey relationships? Like they're concerned that predators would kill prey and they think that's a terrible thing rather than a natural aspect of a predator/prey relationship?
Not just in the UK, but all over the world, people are too focused on things that are way less important than rewilding, spending so much time, money, and effort on them. If more people started to take their focus off of the things that are way less important than rewilding, I believe that our world can be rewilded more efficiently, thoroughly, and faster overall!
Yes guardian dogs might work, although some felt that they might cause problems in Scotland with the number of walkers/ dog walkers… perhaps just having more shepherds on the land to watch the sheep?
I believe quite strongly in protecting many animals that exist today and are endangered, but many larger animals like wolves haven't been around in Britain for around 500 years and I believe that humans can act to maintain our ecology without introducing these animals, as we have (ish) for hundreds of years. I support the reintroduction of large animals in other countries but I do not see the necessity of it in Britain.
Multigenerational steps: What can *we* do right *now* ? Plant trees. The next generations in a "tomorrow world" where circumstances may have changed (probably for the weirder) might be able to reintroduce wolves. So lets plant trees and native flora first. At worst we have some nice forests and healthy green spaces.
Can you make a video about reintroducing lions to the Mediterranean, Iraq, Turkey, Iran, and India? I love lions. We all do. I want to know about reintroducing the Damascus elephant to Kurdistan too.
If they do i hope we have strict laws against all the poachers it will bring. I don't see why they can't be reintroduced, there are plenty of places that are perfect, as long as we keep a regular track on their breeding and prey rates, but I do think it need to be as isolated as possible, Gloucestershire is not a good place to start
Well I was in Netherlands at 2019 and me and my grandmother and my father saw a lone wolf it was a male and he stared at us about 100 feet away from us he was on rock and after I got out I hear him howling and I howled to track his packs and he growled at me I stay calm he almost attacked us and I throw rocks at him and he jump of the rock and run away
There have long been wolves in the UK . Thatcher, Blair, May, Johnson came immediately to mind. And the bankers, Brexiters, brokers, and Tories and Truss, OH, MY !!
A wolf will take names and kick ass, it may also run the deer so they don’t graze out areas in the highlands. A lynx is the first step. Other European nations seem to cope with these predators.
Interesting vid mate. I think with the amount of immigrants coming in in numbers as large as cities, I can't see rewilding & bringing back the wolf working. We just don't have the available space now. We're an overcrowded island mate. Besides, you'll have the same problem with the wolf as you do with the Scottish wild cat. They interbreed with domestic pets! I definitely think lynx could survive in the UK but not wolves & bears.👍
@@LeaveCurious yes it's pretty common someone actually got arrested for shooting a wolf because they thought it was from a far distance because it was a coyote black bears and cougars also transit the state
I don’t live near wolves but I have black bears and bobcats and coyotes that live nearby ( especially the coyotes, they never shut up! ) y’all British shouldn’t be afraid of carnivores, it is natural, not having carnivores is the unnatural thing.
Biodiversity in the UK is pathetic currently. An abundance of ungulates and herbivores, yet absolutely no carnivores of note. There's already a population problem with the millions of deer currently roaming around, yet people are so afraid of reintroducing the *native species* that were artificially and unfairly made extinct because a few farmers were too lazy to protect their sheep while they were lying drunk at the pub. Ludicrous.
@@LeaveCurious Oh I agree, there will be a few sore heads, but.... they will learn. Look at Italy and even over here where I live, Portugal. At first there was a bit of an uproar but now... all is VERY good.
I think the cake the uk shall bake does not have to be the most tasty delicious amazing cake on earth, but an edible healthy and non food-poisoned cake
@@thatundeadlegacy2985 I'm saying that Britian will always be a dead wasteland cuz of these people who won't reintroduce extinct animals of this country.
Why would you in the UK want the wold back ? You already have free roaming (Black) Leopards, Lynx and Chetahs. For what would you want the wolf if the big cats are already doing the job ? Yes, before you ask, there are really big cats in the UK countryside. I saw a black Leopard in less than 10 feet distance with her three cubs. And it was no missidentification is was a real Black Leopard with her cubs. So you now want the wolf as well ?? Don't get me Wron, wolf's are wonderful, magnificent animals but the do kill farmes Lifestock if they find a possibility to get to the farm animals and they also kill people occasionally (yes, very rare, but it does happen from time to time) If you're not 100% mentally prepared for that, then just don't bring them back. It's also unfair and cruel against the animal, if you first bring it back and then start killing it off again just because it's doing what mother nature want's it to do. Then just leave them were they are, and were they can live their normal life.
The health and mental wellbeing of humans is greatly improved if its eco system is organic and natural. It lends to the argument a complete eco system is the correct choice....so are boxes for living in that!! Yay to the wolf!!
Easier said than done. Efforts to reintroduce Eastern Red Wolves have failed several times around here as they can't compete with the coyotes, foxes and black bear.
Isn't the UK known to have millions of deer already? Wolves would be great for population control, and also can have a impact on badgers and foxes which are considered pests in some areas too.
Again I say, If only people would treat wild life with the respect it deserves , and learns to inter react with these animals, who were on this planet and surviving remarkably well until our greed took over, then the planet would be a much better place to live !
Yes, we all know the story about Little Red RidingHood and Werewolf of London propaganda. But are people actually aware of the four-pawed menace that truly exists in the UK? On a hike through the countryside outside of Leeds, I was forced to leap over fences and climb onto farm equipment to escape an attack by a pack of (DOMESTIC) dogs. Wolves should rather have nothing to do with humans; not so with dogs
Hope so we have poor wildlife as in predators compared to the rest of the world... would love to see bears wolves monkeys etc here in the uk but it's a very small country we need more fruit trees for people to eat and insects aswell as birds here in the uk we need millions of fruit trees 🌳 😉 insects etc would thrive and would also help cost of living if there was free fruit all over the place
I agree, we need to embrace permaculture on a national scale - the amount of new builds i see going up with absolutely no consideration to the gardens. There's something like 22 million gardens in the UK - imagine if they all grew one vegetable and fruit.
No, they're not dogs. Wolves are extremely dangerous and very smart compared to domesticated canines. We don't have to the space to inhabit them even if we wanted to. Rewilding is stupid.
I think mabye there are wolves still but they’re just very elusive and sneaky that people haven’t seen them but occasionally catch a glimpse of one like Tasmanian tiger
It always go down to the same issue: farmers. It's being almost a millenia since someone saw a wolf in the UK, and by that people already forgot how to deal with them. Just look how some fields with sheep, cattle and pigs are barelly fenced, and no shepherd is seeing around to protect them during day time, not even their dogs. I think one important key for the project is teaching farmers how to protect their herds from wolves.
I think there's more to be done to protect sheep. Some aspects like guardian dogs might not work, but sheep can be focused to specific areas a little bit better. Studies found in europe that predation of sheep happened when they grazed directly adjacent to woodland.
I don’t know about England, but Scotland is currently in the uk. We had wolves into the 18th century. There are reports from even later. And our environment needs them back.
Wolves just returned to the Netherlands.....,.not a big success for everybody 😐
I like them.....they are magnificent animals.
But i can imagine this will go sideways in a hurry
@@LeaveCurious study done when??
We get wolves in city centers now...
Lovely animals, but killing livestock and pets like it's a national pastime.
They were hunted down to extinction for a reason-; they are dangerous predators. why on earth would you want to put a dangerous animal back into the countryside?
As someone who has lived most of my life in areas with wolves, a lot of the uncertainty (to me) seems unwarranted. We don’t see them too often, but we hear their calls and see their traces. We coexist and don’t often come into conflict. With farmers, I understand their qualms but if they are heard and given the resources to adapt, then I think the UK would be ready.
Yeah agree with you! Where are you based?
@@LeaveCurious Northern Minnesota, on the shores of Lake Superior.
We have quite a few wolf packs over here and they’re extremely appreciated by us!
@@willmcmill4 awesome!
Well you must be walking around with your eyes and ears covered if you actually believe that uncertainty in regards to wolves is "unwarranted", as you put it.
"Wolves would rather kill deer than sheep.", is the worn out mantra of the rewilding fanatic and it's un utter lie. Let's see what the facts actually show us:
1] Wolf attack kills more than 40 sheep in Germany - APNews website
2] The number of wolf attacks on livestock in Germany is growing - DW Made for Minds website
3] Two wolves kill 176 sheep in Idaho Falls - OutdoorLife website
4] Montana wolves kill 120 sheep - backpacker website
5] French farmers demand action against wolves killing livestock - Guardian newspaper
When lambing season approaches and the wolves attack a flock of pregnant sheep, even the ones who manage to escape the carnage abort the lamb fetus a few days later. Farmers say it's a horrific sight, their fields literally covered in aborted lambs. They obviuosly receive no compensation for this either.
Putting vicious, highly intelligent, pack-hunting apex predators into our British farming communities, what could possibly go wrong?
@@wolfenstein6676 Fair enough, unwarranted is too dismissive of a word. I also realize that where I live we have much more space for wolves. But I do standby my opinion that wolves don’t pose nearly as much as a threat as some believe.
A Scottish biologist once told me he invited a Lithianian wold expert to a conference and after picking him up at the airport and driving 4h do the conference near a national park they asked him if he thought the national park would be suitable for the wolf. He reckoned the full landscape since the moment he landed was perfectly suitable for the wolf already ;) not saying the time is near but it is more political at this stage than it is practical.
Yeah I understand, wolves bears and Lynx would do just fine in our landscapes, but I think for their benefit they’d do better having core areas with everything they need
Just release them if it becomes a problem you can shoot them
There is a small island in Lake Superior (like 9 miles long) near the Canadian border it is Isle Royale. It is home to a group of Moose and gray wolves. The wolves made their way to the island many decades ago when Lake Superior would freeze over. The wolves kept the moose population in check. But over decades the wolf population dwindled and the moose population grew out of control. The US forestry service conducted 15 years of research and finally brought more wolves 🐺 to jumpstart the population. Like a miracle the wolves are putting the eco balance back into harmony. Lesson learned, the government moves at a snail pace.
Awesome story of rewilding - ill look into this one more thanks Mark G
As you said Rob, we need to see some progress before this could become a reality. Also to note that Alladale is well ahead of its time in its ambition and it can attack labels such as "crazy" without much merit. We work a lot in Alladale and we find them to be excellent partners :)
I was really impressed with what Alladale has achieved and what they offer visitors, I’d love to go
@@LeaveCurious I've had a walk round there, it's lovely!
Omg mossy earth watches this channel!! You guys should do a crossover
Couldn't agree more! The lynx is the first "cocktail on the rewilding menu" but it also needs some time and proper thinking.
I’d drink one! … maybe there’s some already out there?
You must know we already do have true big cats (leopards) in the UK. It's not a question of releasing them (or lynx). They are already here. Already breeding.@@LeaveCurious
I think, especially because of the thousands of years of tales and legends about conflict between wolves and humans, I could imagine this must be a very difficult subject to deal with. Trying to convince people "the big bad wolf" isn't going to eat them I mean.
I agree. One thing is to be rational & look at the statistics of wolf attacks... Perhaps we need 100 years of pro wolf media?
@@LeaveCurious Don't think, only the past 20 something years people have started to have a more positive view on wolves thanks for modern media.
Britain was the Mother of the Industrial Revolution and it led the way into the modern world. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the people of that land took the lead in restoring the damage done to that great and ancient land. I don't think it can be done by edict or legislatively. Its a matter of the heart.
It would certainly help if governments enabled, icentivies the process - but ultimately you're right, its got to come from the land owners!
They did it in yellow stone park, I do realise that is a huge park but it does show how bringing back the wolf made such a massive change for the better to the park that the scientist were shocked
The discussion about introducing wolves here in the Netherlands has never been very big, our nature reserves were too small and the Netherlands too densely populated for wolves to survive here....
Until, they came, first there were some rumours, than a reel sighting of a reel wolf crossing a village in plain daylight, then more confirmed sightings, the first wolves born on Dutch soil..Last summer I heard there were three packs in the Netherlands which had young..
They do kill sheep though, and I think farmers have to adapt to the presence of wolves over here, like having anti-wolf dogs and keeping sheep inside or protected for the night, but I think all in all the wolf has successfully reintroduced itself in western Europe, and people are starting to get used to it. I think wolves need far less wilderness than you think, as long as it is there, they are very mobile, and can travel vast distances between hunting ground. Roe deer are an important prey for them and contrary to other deer they roam freely in agricultural landscapes, and in the Netherlands they're everywhere. I think if wolves can live in the Netherlands one would think that Scotland has plenty of room for wolves. But on the long term? I think if the Netherlands were an island inbreeding might be a factor, but wolves can come from eastern Germany live here or go to france, when young they travel hundreds of miles so we get fresh genes from the entire continent.
But if you introduce wolves succesfully in Scotland chances are that you will see them all over Great Britain, a wolf in puberty in search of a place for himself might end up in Wales, because that is how they came here.
There are wolves all over mainland Greece and the countryside is still full of herds of sheep and goats and nobody has been killed by a wolf in the 23 years that I've been alive
The wolves know to not mess with humans and humanly stuff and since Britain is overpopulated by deer I think wolves could be released anywhere with no problems surfacing
I think so too, it be interesting to see, but I doubt it could ever happen without a lot more time & work
In Greece, there were lions until 200 BC.
I wish for lions to return to Greece and especially to my home country of Iraq, where they lived until the 19th century. I also wish for the return of tigers.
We humans have big dogs, firearms, and large population, so I don't see the danger in these animals.
I'm an enthusiast when it comes to wolves (and lynx).But I hope not, because as I can experience here, where I live (Austria) that the local population doesn't want such predators where they live. For once farmers fear for their live stock (mostly because it's money for them) and secondly the population fears the wolf like we would live hundreds of years ago. And neither politicians, nor media, nor hunting associations educate people in the right manner. They mostly stoke fears instead of educating them about the predators. And local governments adopt their own decrees for making it easier to kill predators not caring about European laws. 😟 So, as long as those predators re-appear my nature it wouldn't be too good to re-introduce them (neighboring countries have re-introduced bears and lynxes). Most people have unlearned to live WITH predators. ☹
The problem is that we've been told all our lives about the "big bad wolf" in stories, films. Werewolf stories don't help. Media definitely has an impact on people.
If we can overcome the mental barriers and stigmas around wolves first, then we could tackle the rewilding. I hope to see them in the UK in my lifetime, and I'm 30 now.
Besides, we need to start leaning away from meat production anyway. So grazing livestock will be far less of a problem in future years.
yeah i believe the number of grazing animals on the uplands is gradually declining, along with that hopefully we can see some land recovery to create better corridors between core areas. But it's all a progressive, quite long process, especially when people stand in the way. ultimately, its a chance for land owners to innovate & get a real jump toward a greener economy which we ultimately must shift toward
@@LeaveCurious Agree completely!
Wolves are quietly walking all across Europe. There was one seen recently in Ile-de-France, which is the region surrrounding Paris. South of me in the Monts D'Arrée there have been sightings - yes this is an area of low population, but it's about as far from the established wolf populations (Alps/Pyrenees/Eastern Europe as you can get in France).
It may be too early for the UK, but these are animals capable of extreme discretion.
If only we had a bridge... the evidence from Europe is there - are there many, if any conflicts?
@@LeaveCurious I'm pretty sure that the farmers/herders where wolves live are concerned. But I think the actual damage done to livestock is fairly minimal and compensated for. I certainly haven't read/heard any stories locally of wolves predating pets/livestock.
I seem to remember a story about wolf guarding dogs in Romania - but whether it was a happy resurgence of that old partnership, or lament that there was not enough support for the dogs escapes me.
Seen the wolves in the forests in Germany plenty of times now, they aren’t any trouble to anyone.
I love the idea of rewilding the UK, but there are some fundamental issues - most notably in my mind that 1, Farmers and toff land owners like being the apex predator and 2, as a population we are soft. In the US, wolves are commonplace - as are bears, but so are pepper spray, defensive firearms and the general understanding that there are some times / places that 911, or 999 as it is here, just aren't going to be able to help. If the reintroduction of apex predators is to succeed, we as a group of people need to be better educated to interact with nature instead of the very British approach we have currently.
Well said Sam! Although I wouldn’t like to see fire arms wide spread in the UK, wildlife rangers for sure! Creates more jobs
@@LeaveCurious absolutely agree. I don’t for a second think more guns is the answer to anything (speaking as a formerly regular shooter). They’d be counter intuitive to any rewilding program anyway - work to put wolves in and they get shot? Nope! I just meant that in the UK where you go backpacking with a Swiss Army knife and that’s it, we might be a little unprepared for encounters with actual predators!
bring back guns as well, is that what you are saying? Take a Smith & Weston with me when I go mountain biking?
A UK Yellowstone national Park would be amazing to witness
Scotland has the prey base in various areas. The native cover problem needs to be fixed (tree planting). The mountain to climb is the salmon-bear relationship.
Another good point James
When it comes to bears, I think the main stumbling block will be their large and varied appetite.
Bears are drawn by food, they can smell it for miles, will travel for miles - and they are really quite determined to get into a tent or car or property once they scent it.
They've even learned to run towards the sound of distant hunters shooting in America, because they've come to link the sound of the gunshot with a deer carcass for the taking.
Since Britons are discouraged from owning guns as much as possible, it's going to be extremely difficult for people in rural areas to defend themselves against the sudden appearance of a bear.
I can't see UK style back doors, garden fences, or even farm fences (such as they are) being much of a defence against bears. (Farm fences now are barely adequate to keep cows in a field).
Their presence will terrify people, and stop them enjoying the countryside with their children as they should (since keeping the countryside a safe and enjoyable place for all helps encourage more people to 'look after it' and not use it as a dumping ground.
@@debbiehenri345 in Scotland there are multi-species seasonal runs, that if nurtured, could really be a benefit to bears and humans. Of course the problem with this is, we, as a species, are just getting our hands around water quality and temperature, grade and composition of both stream and gravel make-up for spawning areas. Get your excavator, dozer, and dump trucks out; what is money for anyway? As for bear management, Banff National Park seems to be making strides and I personally want to give that 12-gauge cracker-shot a whirl. I only get approached during the spring from foaling season to the passing of the Elk into upper altitudes.
I dont think salmon and bears will ever truly get along....
@@S.Trades the Salmon certainly will not appreciate it, but Scotland is capable of such ecosystems. More so than England is.
I think the lynx has to reintroduced first. Once people see the success of that then the wolf could follow. The landscape is probably ready for them both now but the humans aren’t.
Agreed Simon - ill be making a much more in-depth video on the steps to reintroduction soon.
I remember reading that the Wolves that once inhabited the British Isles was a Species somewhat smaller that the northern European Wolf.
Yes, the same way the wolves we have in Spain are a lot smaller then their northern cousins, the colder it gets, the bigger they tend to be
@@Solstice261 its more likely du in this case rather than temperature due to insular dwarfism
@@gallowglass2630 that would make sense but it doesn't really apply for Iberian wolves, I wonder why ours are smaller
@@gallowglass2630I'm pretty sure that wolves on the British Isles were one of the few species who weren't affected by island dwarfism
I think you should make a video on reintroducing reptiles and amphibians
Oh yeah 100% already planning some!
@@LeaveCurious cool!
Great video Rob!
Nice one!!!
Never. The United Kingdom is possibly the country most detached from Mother Nature & wilderness.
A camera shot from the backside of Mt. Edgecombe, my God Rob you are ambitious. Even with the old clearcuts becoming overgrown, this island is more bear country than wolf country. Your Elk populations are there but fragmented; and it comes across to me that the British Isles means business when it comes to Bison breeding programs. Get your forestry quotient rolling in both North and South units, a predator control program with stock-loss compensation in place. In my never-to-be humble estimation, Scotland could be home to a rare European jewel in several decades, without having to reforest with species that are endemic to the Sitka area.
If it works in Holland then it will work for sure in the UK which has more nature then us
Yes its great to see them returning, makes you think if Scotland was adjoined, they'd be here by now
I would love both of these to return to the UK before I die! It’s so sad that our wildlife is depleted, just imagine how much more beautiful this place could be!
In the uk the gene pool for lynx and wolf could not be replenished , also the Uk is a signatory to legislation that unless the country has a land border from where populations of animals can freely cross borders to naturally stop inbreeding and keep populations healthy, so the Uk Government would actually be in breach of said legislation so therefore it cannot happen🤷♂️
I think they should be released into wild life reserves first, then when there’s enough habitat for the wolf, they should be released into the true wilderness
I think mabye there are wolves still but they’re just very elusive and sneaky that people haven’t seen them but occasionally catch a glimpse of one like Tasmanian tiger
The Rewilding of the wolf to the UK, seems to be going well. No reports of attacks on humans or livestock so far, but the wild deer population may be taking abit of a hit in the areas the wolves frequent. The Lynx on the other hand prefers sheep and lambs, and is becoming abit of a nuisance to farmers. Glad they are back though, they belong here, and are an important part of our ecosystem.
You should watch the documentary about the reintroduction of wolves back to Yellowstone national park. I think it’s called how wolves changed the rivers. It’s amazing and we need apex predators so badly. We have got beavers back now which is great but we need all animals back.
No matter how secure life will find a way out of any containment.
Starting with "I think that wolf reintroduction right now is a really bad idea I mean are you mad?" is not exactly a slam-dunk argument to make right out of the gate. Convince me first before you ask me if I'm "mad" for entertaining the idea.
Bring it all on, good luck to Paul Lister and his team.
Yeah there’ll be ready when the time comes
I would love to see greater rewilding but I can't see the wolf being reintroduced in the foreseeable future. I belive we should table that and work only on the lynx which will be more possible but still a massive uphill battle.
100% spot on
I live in America. We have wolves over here. Having 2 wolves introduced is enough. [October10,2023]
Scotland and Wales are the best places to reintroduce large predators
sorry, concern about the animal welfare of predator prey relationships? Like they're concerned that predators would kill prey and they think that's a terrible thing rather than a natural aspect of a predator/prey relationship?
Not just in the UK, but all over the world, people are too focused on things that are way less important than rewilding, spending so much time, money, and effort on them.
If more people started to take their focus off of the things that are way less important than rewilding, I believe that our world can be rewilded more efficiently, thoroughly, and faster overall!
I do agree, less time on our phones and more time outdoors eh!
@@LeaveCurious that would be a good start for sure!
U.k need to bring back wolves bear and links.use garding dog like kangal alabi armani. Gemper......
Yes guardian dogs might work, although some felt that they might cause problems in Scotland with the number of walkers/ dog walkers… perhaps just having more shepherds on the land to watch the sheep?
I believe quite strongly in protecting many animals that exist today and are endangered, but many larger animals like wolves haven't been around in Britain for around 500 years and I believe that humans can act to maintain our ecology without introducing these animals, as we have (ish) for hundreds of years. I support the reintroduction of large animals in other countries but I do not see the necessity of it in Britain.
Reintroducing wolves will help the ecosystem, of course.
You can't introduce animals you may need to defend yourself against in a country where its illegal to carry anything meant to defend yourself.
Multigenerational steps:
What can *we* do right *now* ? Plant trees.
The next generations in a "tomorrow world" where circumstances may have changed (probably for the weirder) might be able to reintroduce wolves.
So lets plant trees and native flora first. At worst we have some nice forests and healthy green spaces.
They'd better do! I want them back.
Can you make a video about reintroducing lions to the Mediterranean, Iraq, Turkey, Iran, and India?
I love lions. We all do.
I want to know about reintroducing the Damascus elephant to Kurdistan too.
If they do i hope we have strict laws against all the poachers it will bring. I don't see why they can't be reintroduced, there are plenty of places that are perfect, as long as we keep a regular track on their breeding and prey rates, but I do think it need to be as isolated as possible, Gloucestershire is not a good place to start
Well I was in Netherlands at 2019 and me and my grandmother and my father saw a lone wolf it was a male and he stared at us about 100 feet away from us he was on rock and after I got out I hear him howling and I howled to track his packs and he growled at me I stay calm he almost attacked us and I throw rocks at him and he jump of the rock and run away
Tbh wolves are pretty shy. buffalos would kill more humans than wolves.
Let’s the Lynx start now, 10 years to the wolves, another 10 for the bears.
find oil, and make more lands and fforests in the uk
We’ll be fine as long as we have our retorts to the Daily Mail outrage ready to go😂
I think the only way to know is to release 20 wolves into Buckingham Palace
I feel like if we can get farmers to coexist with wolves successfully here in the US, it will help reintroduction efforts in the UK.
Oh yeah definitely!
But US farmers have assault rifles, UK farmers only have pointy stick, big difference.
Farmers need to get their hate and know wolves were here first
There have long been wolves in the UK . Thatcher, Blair, May, Johnson came immediately to mind. And the bankers, Brexiters, brokers, and Tories and Truss, OH, MY !!
Maybe try coyotes first. They are basically small wolves.
I am on Team Wolf
Excellent video
A wolf will take names and kick ass, it may also run the deer so they don’t graze out areas in the highlands. A lynx is the first step. Other European nations seem to cope with these predators.
I'm taking that cherry on top analogy 🐺 🍒 🐺
its a gooden
Interesting vid mate. I think with the amount of immigrants coming in in numbers as large as cities, I can't see rewilding & bringing back the wolf working. We just don't have the available space now. We're an overcrowded island mate. Besides, you'll have the same problem with the wolf as you do with the Scottish wild cat. They interbreed with domestic pets! I definitely think lynx could survive in the UK but not wolves & bears.👍
Wolves and bears would be poisoned. Look what happens to eagles and other raptors....
they put the beaver back
Just bring them back it will make walking home from the pub at night more exciting and keep the human predators away.
Need to find an uninhabited island with a large population of red deer. Introduce wolves and see what happens.
Thats an interesting idea!
I mean yellowstone park...
Wolves are all ready hear, check the sittings in the forest of Dean, all so big cats, people have seen them, get over it,
In Illinois it's In a decade
Do you ever have wolves transit?
@@LeaveCurious yes it's pretty common someone actually got arrested for shooting a wolf because they thought it was from a far distance because it was a coyote black bears and cougars also transit the state
I would love to see wolves return to this country!
I don’t live near wolves but I have black bears and bobcats and coyotes that live nearby ( especially the coyotes, they never shut up! ) y’all British shouldn’t be afraid of carnivores, it is natural, not having carnivores is the unnatural thing.
They have reintroduced the wolf and lynx into other parts of the world, with success, at least give it a try.
Biodiversity in the UK is pathetic currently. An abundance of ungulates and herbivores, yet absolutely no carnivores of note. There's already a population problem with the millions of deer currently roaming around, yet people are so afraid of reintroducing the *native species* that were artificially and unfairly made extinct because a few farmers were too lazy to protect their sheep while they were lying drunk at the pub. Ludicrous.
Please make a video about rewilding projects of lions and cheetahs in India.
I'll look into it!
Well we have Wallabies living in the wild in the UK so why not Wolfs.
Great video
Thanks!
I say throw a few packs into Northern Scotland and let them get on with it. The humans will survive and learn to live with them!
Hmmmm it would be interesting right? I think those people living up there would have a thing or two to say about it and quite rightly so!
@@LeaveCurious Oh I agree, there will be a few sore heads, but.... they will learn. Look at Italy and even over here where I live, Portugal. At first there was a bit of an uproar but now... all is VERY good.
Hope uk reintroduces wolves like they did in the us
No way.
I think the cake the uk shall bake does not have to be the most tasty delicious amazing cake on earth, but an edible healthy and non food-poisoned cake
Hah yeah last years fruit cake?
@@LeaveCurious yes I think so😃
Don't worry guys, everyone knows british food is garbage :D
so we dont expect much.
they are here now, government and mus ms
wolf reintroduction is not practical yet but we are 1 step closer to it anyways
Yes so much to consider!
The right to roam is the biggest problem with it in scotland.
it just takes one moron to ruin everything.
@@thatundeadlegacy2985 Britian should never act like the hero's of climate change or saving endangered animals.
@@basedmonke3385 What.
@@thatundeadlegacy2985 I'm saying that Britian will always be a dead wasteland cuz of these people who won't reintroduce extinct animals of this country.
They can have their right to roam but if they get shredded by wolves they only have themselves to blame.
The right for all to roam! I wonder how effective active rangers would be in this situation
@@LeaveCurious put up a sign and anyone who ignores it bears all responsibility,
or have a Waiver they have to sign.
realease some small deer too so they leave the farms alone
There's quite a few deer going around as it is
Why would you in the UK want the wold back ?
You already have free roaming (Black) Leopards, Lynx and Chetahs. For what would you want the wolf if the big cats are already doing the job ?
Yes, before you ask, there are really big cats in the UK countryside.
I saw a black Leopard in less than 10 feet distance with her three cubs. And it was no missidentification is was a real Black Leopard with her cubs.
So you now want the wolf as well ??
Don't get me Wron, wolf's are wonderful, magnificent animals but the do kill farmes Lifestock if they find a possibility to get to the farm animals and they also kill people occasionally (yes, very rare, but it does happen from time to time)
If you're not 100% mentally prepared for that, then just don't bring them back.
It's also unfair and cruel against the animal, if you first bring it back and then start killing it off again just because it's doing what mother nature want's it to do.
Then just leave them were they are, and were they can live their normal life.
🌲🐺👌
The health and mental wellbeing of humans is greatly improved if its eco system is organic and natural. It lends to the argument a complete eco system is the correct choice....so are boxes for living in that!! Yay to the wolf!!
Easier said than done. Efforts to reintroduce Eastern Red Wolves have failed several times around here as they can't compete with the coyotes, foxes and black bear.
Needs a viable large mammal population before that.
Do you mean for them to eat?
Isn't the UK known to have millions of deer already? Wolves would be great for population control, and also can have a impact on badgers and foxes which are considered pests in some areas too.
Again I say, If only people would treat wild life with the respect it deserves , and learns to inter react with these animals, who were on this planet and surviving remarkably well until our greed took over, then the planet would be a much better place to live !
Well said Allen, keep saying it - its a message which needs repeating!
Yes, we all know the story about Little Red RidingHood and Werewolf of London propaganda. But are people actually aware of the four-pawed menace that truly exists in the UK? On a hike through the countryside outside of Leeds, I was forced to leap over fences and climb onto farm equipment to escape an attack by a pack of (DOMESTIC) dogs. Wolves should rather have nothing to do with humans; not so with dogs
Hope so we have poor wildlife as in predators compared to the rest of the world... would love to see bears wolves monkeys etc here in the uk but it's a very small country we need more fruit trees for people to eat and insects aswell as birds here in the uk we need millions of fruit trees 🌳 😉 insects etc would thrive and would also help cost of living if there was free fruit all over the place
I agree, we need to embrace permaculture on a national scale - the amount of new builds i see going up with absolutely no consideration to the gardens. There's something like 22 million gardens in the UK - imagine if they all grew one vegetable and fruit.
No, they're not dogs. Wolves are extremely dangerous and very smart compared to domesticated canines. We don't have to the space to inhabit them even if we wanted to. Rewilding is stupid.
Lol you must be anti wolf rancher
I think mabye there are wolves still but they’re just very elusive and sneaky that people haven’t seen them but occasionally catch a glimpse of one like Tasmanian tiger